Looking For Suggestions

[Zante]

I'm planning to set up a Juwek Rekord 800 for the office.
 
I'm looking for suggestions for the setup and population.
 
Here's the framework:
- Hardy fish that can be looked after by non-experts
- They won't mind missing a water change every now and then
- They will live happily in London's hard water
- Captive bred
- Nice and colourful or really interesting. Better if both.
 
I'd rather avoid livebearers so please don't suggest guppies, mollies and platies.

 

[Akasha72]

oh booger I was going to say guppies!!
 
How ya doing anyway? How's the Discus doing?

 

[didz04]

I was going to suggest african cichlids they are colourful with some really nice personalities, but they can outgrow that tank unless you go for juveniles.
 
Pelvivachromis pulcher are hard water type of fish and calmer of the cichlid species. 
 
You can go for an all shell dweller tank, they will populate the tank on their own and all you need is shells as the main decoration. Neolamprologus multifasciatus is one of the many types you can try. 

 

[Zante]

oh booger I was going to say guppies!!
 
How ya doing anyway? How's the Discus doing?

 
They'r growing nicely, thank you.
Now they've started bothering the other adults. I've seen a couple having a mea off the side of an aunt.
 

I was going to suggest african cichlids they are colourful with some really nice personalities, but they can outgrow that tank unless you go for juveniles.
 
Pelvivachromis pulcher are hard water type of fish and calmer of the cichlid species. 
 
You can go for an all shell dweller tank, they will populate the tank on their own and all you need is shells as the main decoration. Neolamprologus multifasciatus is one of the many types you can try. 

 
I had thought of kribs, but since the water will be with a relatively high ph, and the kribs will inevitably breed I'm not sure I want fry that is mostly one sex. They'd be more difficult to get rid of.
 
As for the shelldwellers, yes, that is something I was considering, but aren't they bottom dwellers?
How would you populate the rest of the tank?

 

[Akasha72]

glad the little Discus are doing well ... too cute

 

[didz04]

You can make half the tank for the shell dwellers with shells and low rock works and then the other half people tend to mix them with julidochromis, build like an high ocean rock platforms for them on their half of the tank. The reason why julidochromis works as they tend to stay around their rock work so the multi's or other shell dweller species wouldn't be bothered by them. 
 
Shell dwellers are great parents and as a community the keep the population in control as to how big their space of living is. So they wouldn't let their side over populate. 

 

[Munroco]

I like the idea of shell dwellers, don't think kribs would enjoy the hard water much though.